Vancouver, B.C.’s 3 Inches of Blood was in New Orleans when band members learned their former bass player, Tacoma musician Brian Redman, had died.

Redman, half of the thrash-metal outfit’s rhythm section from 2004 to 2006, was killed in a scooter accident on Sept. 27. Vocalist Cam Pipes was the first to learn, via text message, and he broke the devastating news to the rest of the band.

“We all just kind of sat there for about an hour,” Pipes recalled when I called him at home in Vancouver this week, “sitting down and staring at the floor just kind of in disbelief of this information we had just heard.

“It was pretty surreal, but it didn’t really hit for a little while. The first couple of days you’re just kind of like, ‘Is this for real?’”

Saturday, 3 Inches of Blood will return to Tacoma to pay homage to their fallen band mate, headlining a tribute show at Hell’s Kitchen that will also include performances by local favorites the Jet City Fix, Glimpse and Monuments Collide. Proceeds will benefit Redman’s widow, Dana.

“It was at a really kind of tumultuous time when he joined the band,” Pipes said, alluding to lineup changes and stress related to recording “Advance and Vanquish,” the band’s debut for Roadrunner Records.

“We played with some of Brian’s bands before, so we kind of knew him already,” he said. “He kind of stepped in and didn’t really let any of the internal stuff that was happening to us – from previous band members – really bother him. He was just there to play music.”

Redman’s tenure with 3 Inches of Blood ended as the band began work on 2007’s “Fire Up the Blades” album while living in Tacoma.

“As soon as we started writing for that record, he kind of made it clear that he wanted to do other things,” Pipes said.

“He was about to get married and so forth, and so he just kind of wanted to take a break from being on tour and just do other things with his life.”

More than anything, the singer recalled Redman’s engaging sense of humor. In that context, Pipes hoped Saturday’s tribute show would be more of a celebration of Redman’s life than somber memorial.

“We just want to go down there and play this show and not kind of dwell on how sad the situation is,” Pipes said.

“Brian always liked to party and have a good time and have fun,” he said.

“He was pretty good at cheering people up a little bit when they were bummed out. I don’t think he’d want us to bum out on the situation, either.”

Music starts at 9 p.m.; 253-759-6003 or www.hellskitchenonline.com for more info.

BONUS TRACKS

 • The guys from 3IOB aren’t the only Vancouverites invading Hell’s Kitchen this weekend. Tonight, the Kitchen has got Northwest punk vets NoMeansNo; www.hellskitchenonline.com.

 • Meanwhile, the CMT tour brings up-and-coming country dudes Jamey Johnson and Randy Houser to Tacoma’s Emerald Queen Casino tonight; www. emeraldqueen.com.

 • And among the many road-trip-worthy concerts going on in Seattle the next few days are Raveonettes, tonight at Neumo’s; Ozomatli, tonight and Saturday at Showbox at the Market; new wave legends Devo (Sunday and Monday at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre) and alt-hip-hopper P.O.S., Wednesday at El Corazon.

Ernest Jasmin: 253-274-7389

ernest.jasmin@thenewstribune.com

blog.thenewstribune.com/tacomarockcity